Page 1 of Sinful Deception

MINKA

“Why are so many people in my apartment?” I stalk through the mouth of the hallway and enter my too-full living room. It’s barely seven in the damn morning, but already, Fletch stands at my kitchen counter with a coffee mug steaming hot and just full enough to make him smirk. Cato throws a basketball from his position on the couch, tossing it up and catching it when it arcs down again. Mia perches on the coffee table, watching him with pure glee in her eyes. And Aubree dances across the living room on her way to the coffee machine now that Fletch’s is done. “So many friggin’ people,” I groan. “So much noise.”

“You’re literally the only person talking.” Aubree snags a mug from the cupboard and places it at the spout of the machine. “And why iswhohere? Fletch and Mia? Cato?”

“You.” I’d like to pretend I’m crusty-eyed and tired, fried on a brand-new Monday morning and unable to gather my thoughts. But really, this is just who I am, and Archer Malone already rang my bell this morning.

My favorite way to wake up.

“I’m talking to you, Emeri. Because Cato practically lives here, and Fletch is Malone’s guest. Not my problem.”

“Idolive here,” Cato grumbles. “Literally. Not practically. Your refusal to acknowledge this is hurtful to my sensitivities.”

Aubree grins and hooks a thumb his way. “He has sensitivities. And I’m here because Tim isn’t a morning person.”

“Gag.” I start toward the kitchen because I need coffee, too. But the idea of standing in line in my own damn home is ridiculous, so I hip-bump my second aside and take her cup when it’s full. “Aubree and Timothy, sitting in the tree.”

“K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” she sings, reaching up for another mug. “I’m not ashamed. I have a boyfriend now, so?—”

“You havemorethan a boyfriend,” Archer inserts on a low rumble, stepping out of the hall as I turn and smirking when our eyes meet. “But that’s between you and the contracts you’ve signed, Doctor Emeri.” He stalks my way and wraps me up, his hand snaking around to my back and his lips peppering against mine until I happily sigh. “Morning, Minnnka.”

“Hey.” I kiss him back and ignore the parroted ‘gag’ behind me. “You smell good.”

Humming, he buries his lips against the side of my neck and inhales. “You, too.” But then he pulls away and takes a moment to look Aubree up and down. “Shall we call you DoctorMaloneor…?”

“Absolutely not.” I settle back against the counter while Archer waits for his caffeine fix. “If you wanted to have a Doctor Malone in the family, then one of you should have gone to medical school. You didn’t.”

“Thus,” Aubree continues smugly. “Doctor Emeri suits me just fine. What’s on the agenda for today?”

“Catching killers,” Fletch teases. “Bedding broads. Same as usual.”

“Uh-huh.” Aubree pouts when Archer takes her coffee for himself. But he reaches up and grabs a third mug, just for her. “How many broads have been in your bed lately, Detective Fletcher? I didn’t realize Fifi ever left the office. Or took your calls.”

His smirk drops to a scowl in an instant.

But so does mine, though for different reasons. “Don’t even talk about that head-hunting, asset-swiping, no good scoundrel inside my home. Justin Lawrence is a bastard, and I forbid you from even mentioning his name while in my company.”

“You sound grumpy, Aunty Minka.” Mia vibrates with joy when Cato passes the ball to her. “Being grumpy is no fun.”

“Yeah, Aunty Minka.” Archer hooks his finger in the loop of my pants and pulls me in to settle against his chest. “Being grumpy is no fun.”

“He stole my Fifi!”

“Ages ago,” Aubree argues. “That wassolast year.”

“It’s January ninth,” I snarl. “Last year is basically this year. There is no statute of limitations, as far as I’m concerned.”

Eagerly, Mia straightens on the coffee table. Her entire body brightens, her chest expanding, and her hair bouncing. “Did you talk to Fifi this week?” But when I shake my head,negative kiddo,she huffs and shrinks again. “I wish she still workedwifyou. I don’t get to see her anymore.”

Yeah. That was the idea.

“I’ll call her when I get to work.” I offer a smile when her eyes come up again. “Promise. And I’ll tell her you said hey.”

“It was supposed to be a clean break,” Aubree coughs, not so subtly. “That means no passing of messages.”

“Yeah? Well,Ididn’t agree to this stupid plan.” I rest against Archer’s chest, my ear over his heart and my pulse slowing to match his after only a moment of listening. “I’m calling her because I have questions about work, anyway.”

“So ask Callen. That’s her job.”

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